by Levine, Nina
In the end, it’s Alessandra who moves the conversation forward. She joins us, hands Dad her phone, and says, “That’s Margaret’s number. She’s organising the lunch today.”
His gaze slices to her as he takes the phone. “Thank you, Alessandra.”
I track his steps as he leaves us and exits the waiting room. Once he’s no longer in sight, I drop my head, scrub my face and mutter, “Fuck.”
“Jesus, Ashton, can we just get through today please?”
My head snaps up, the anger I’m trying hard to control unravelling a little more. “The fuck, Aly?”
My tone is too harsh, and she responds to it. The anguish lining her face turns to anger as she lashes out. “For once I’d like our family to let shit go and just be together. Dad’s never going to change. He is who he is, so why can’t you just ignore whatever it is you think he’s saying and just answer his questions for what they are? Life would be a lot bloody easier!”
“Ignore whatever it is I think he’s saying…. What the hell do you mean by that?” My fury sparks and I’m unable to hold it back any longer. Unfortunately, I’m taking it out on the wrong person. But that’s the story of Alessandra’s and my lives—we get messy in the bad blood of our family. We go to battle over the very things we both wish didn’t exist, because it’s the only way our pain can be heard when neither of our parents are interested in acknowledging it.
“You always have to twist his words and make something out of them that might not even be there. For God’s sake, all he asked for was a phone number. All you had to do was say you didn’t have it, but no, you couldn’t stop yourself from reminding him that Ashton Scott doesn’t involve himself in something so lowly as a charity lunch.”
“Fuck, you know I didn’t mean it like that. And you also know exactly what he meant by it. I’m not going to stand around and let him belittle me. Not anymore.”
She exhales loudly. “Maybe you read too much into what he said.”
“You seriously don’t believe that, do you?”
She throws her arms up. “I don’t know, Ashton! All I’m saying is, he simply asked you for a phone number. If you could have just answered that question for him, all this other tension may have been avoided.”
I can hardly believe what I’m hearing. “Christ, Aly, where is this coming from? You of all people know how our father thinks.”
Eyes wild, she doesn’t answer me straight away. Her face twists with distress and she wraps her arms tightly around her body. When she does finally speak, her voice is choked with emotion. I hear the tears she doesn’t show the world. “What if Mum doesn’t make it?” She takes a ragged breath. “I can’t live without her. Our family can’t survive without her.”
Every last bit of anger churning in me retreats, and I reach for her, pulling her close so I can quiet her fears. Not that they ever can be with Aly, but I always try.
My sister is a worrier. She clings to all her fears in ways I can’t fathom. Sometimes I think it’s easier for her to spend time worrying about everything than actually dealing with the truth.
I hold her tightly and smooth her hair. “Mum’s going to be okay, and so are we. And no matter what happens, you and I will always make it. We are our family.”
Her body is so stiff in my arms that I wonder if anything I say will help ease her concerns. She looks up at me, and I see the anxiety in her eyes and on her face. “I know we are, but I wish it wasn’t like this. I wish our family could be more,” she says softly.
“I know.” Fuck, it’s all I ever wanted, too. But my eyes are wide open, and I don’t see that ever happening.
Approaching footsteps draw my attention, and I look up to find Dad and Malcolm walking our way. Malcolm’s gaze is firmly on his wife. The love and concern blazing from his eyes is clear for all to see. I wonder again how Aly either misses it or misreads it.
“Any news?” Dad asks.
Alessandra leaves my embrace and moves to her husband as she answers Dad. “No, nothing yet.”
Malcolm’s arms circle her as he brushes a kiss across her lips and murmurs something I can’t quite hear. She nods before sagging against him. My sister may be well known for her cool and calm manner in business dealings, but I’m concerned that in her personal life she’s an emotional mess. At least she’s allowing Malcolm to comfort her.
Lines wrinkle Dad’s face as he frowns. Flicking his wrist, he checks his watch. “What the hell are these doctors doing? It’s been hours.”
I bite my tongue from lashing out at him and turn to Lorelei. “You want a coffee?”
She nods. “Yes, but let me get it. You wait here in case the doctor comes with some news.”
With a shake of my head, I say, “No, I need to get out of here for a bit. I may say or do something I’ll regret if I don’t.”
Understanding flashes in her eyes. “Yeah,” she murmurs. “I’ll come with you.”
37
Lorelei
I move fast to match Ashton’s pace as he strides with purpose towards the hospital cafeteria. Anyone else would assume he was on a mission to get coffee; I know he’s on a mission to escape his father. Gregory Scott hasn’t given me many reasons to like him this morning. He doesn’t seem as interested in his wife’s health as he does in his business. I can see why Ashton struggles so much with him. And I’ve also been given a glimpse at the dynamics between Alessandra and her father. I don’t know her very well yet, but it’s obvious she’s desperate for Gregory’s approval. And from what I’ve seen so far, I don’t think that approval is easy to achieve.
Reaching for Ashton’s hand, I attempt to slow him down. “Ashton, can we walk a little slower?”
He does as I ask but doesn’t say anything. However, he grips my hand in a way that lets me know he needs me.
A few minutes later, we reach our destination, and he orders our coffees. I watch him closely, taking in the hard set of his jaw and the tense bunching of his shoulders. His father has him wound so tight.
Rubbing his back gently, I murmur, “I’m sorry you’re going through this.”
I don’t expect a reply because he’s intently watching our drinks being made and appears to be deep in thought, but he surprises me when he turns and bends to brush a kiss across my lips. “Thank you for being here with me.”
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”
His eyes stay glued to mine while I continue to rub his back. We don’t speak, but we don’t need words. The silence we share speaks volumes, as does his body language. I’m slowly learning to read my man.
We sit at a table once our drinks are made. Before we have a chance to talk, Ashton’s phone rings and he has a short conversation with Alessandra before ending it and standing. “They’re giving Mum an angiogram and she may need stents. I’m going to head back there to talk with her doctor.”
I pass him his coffee and then follow him as he walks to the waiting room. This time I don’t ask him to slow his pace. I know how desperate he is to talk with the doctor. His mission is interrupted, though, when a blonde woman calls out his name and runs towards us just before we arrive at our destination.
“Fuck,” he mutters, coming to a stop. When she reaches us, he greets her, “Cassia.”
That name causes my stomach to knot with apprehension. Cassia is the woman he was with for years.
She moves closer to him and places her hand on his forearm. The way she touches him and then rubs his arm is intimate, and I stiffen.
Looking up at him with what appears to be genuine concern, she says softly, “I’m so sorry to hear about your mother. I came as fast as I could.”
I blink as I swallow hard.
She came as fast as she could? She makes it sound like he wants her here. Maybe he does. I don’t know anything about the relationship they have now. Perhaps they are still friends. I could kick myself for not knowing this, because now the knot in my stomach is tightening and making me feel stressed. Or anxious. Or jealous.
God, I’
m jealous. I don’t do jealous. It’s not something I’ve ever really experienced while dating. Probably because half the time I’m trying to keep the guy I’m dating at arm’s length. But I’m feeling it right now with Ashton and Cassia. The way she’s touching him is too much for me. I want to rip her hand off his arm and tell her to back away from him. Away from my man.
Where the hell are these thoughts coming from? This is not the day for them. Not while Ashton is worried over his mother. I attempt to lock them down tight and not let them out. I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about, anyway. Ashton has made it clear how much he wants me, and he’s always been honest, so I trust him.
Without waiting for Ashton to respond, Cassia goes on. “How is she? What have the doctors told you so far?”
It’s after she asks these questions that she shifts her gaze to take me in. She inspects me with a fine toothcomb, and by the end of it, I feel like I don’t meet any of her criteria for being worthy of her attention because she doesn’t acknowledge me in any way. She simply turns her gaze back to Ashton and waits for him to answer her questions.
“We’re on our way back to speak to the doctor now,” he says, shrugging his arm away from her. His cool tone does wonders for the knot in my stomach, and I take the opportunity to stake my claim.
Sliding my arm around his waist, I say, “Hi, I’m Lorelei.”
Ashton’s arm snakes across my shoulders and he pulls me close. I take it as a signal to Cassia, and I guess she does too because she stares at his arm for a long moment before meeting my gaze again.
“Cassia,” she says, her voice icy. Looking back at Ashton, she says, “I’ll come with you.”
Ashton’s jaw clenches. “There’s no need. And besides, it’s just family.”
I secretly cheer on the inside and instantly feel like a bitch. Maybe Cassia really just wants to check on Ashton’s mother.
However, when she moves even closer to him and touches him again, I know her visit here today is all for Ashton. And when she speaks, I know every word of it is for me. “Ashton, Kendall and I are like family. You and I might not be as close as we once were, but your mother and I are closer than ever. She would want me to be here. Please let me come and wait with you for more news.”
He opens his mouth to reply, but his father joins us and says to Cassia, “Good, you’re here.”
Cassia steps away from Ashton and turns to his father. “I’m so sorry to hear about Kendall, Gregory. I was just saying to Ashton that I’ll stay with you all through this awful time. The Scotts are family to me.”
Gregory nods and indicates for Cassia to follow him. With a catty smile thrown my way, and a squeeze of Ashton’s hand, she goes with Gregory, leaving me staring after her feeling like everything just changed in the blink of an eye.
And that damn knot in my stomach has morphed into what feels like a million knots.
38
Ashton
“Why is Cassia here?” Alessandra asks a few hours after the doctor confirms that Mum is okay. They’re giving her stents, after which she’ll most likely be in hospital for a few days.
“I have no fucking clue,” I mutter, eyeing Cassia with my father. I’m more than surprised at their closeness. He left for a couple of hours and has just returned, and they’re huddled discussing something in hushed tones.
Alessandra exhales a long breath while crossing her legs and scrolling through emails on her phone. “I had no idea she was friendly with Mum and Dad. I’ve not seen her at their house, and Mum hasn’t mentioned anything except for the couple of times she said she wishes you two were still together. I didn’t take that to mean she’d welcomed Cassia with open arms.”
My thoughts drift off while she talks about this. I couldn’t care less about whatever they’ve got going on. What I do care about, besides Mum’s health, is Lorelei and the issues with her building. She’s just stepped out of the waiting room to take another call from one of her tenants. It’s the third call today, and with each one I’ve watched her become more stressed.
“Ashton, are you listening to me?” Alessandra smacks my arm while staring at me, demanding an answer to her question.
I shift in my chair, irritated. “Fuck, Aly. And no, I’m not listening to you because what’s the point in dwelling on Cassia and whatever she’s doing with Mum and Dad. It doesn’t affect us.”
Her eyebrows arch. “You’re kidding me, right? Cassia is known for manipulating people. Whatever she’s doing with them is because of you, so you should be paying attention.”
“Why? She can’t manipulate me into anything.”
She stares at me like I’ve grown another head. “For a smart man, you can be dumb when it comes to women. But luckily you’ve got me. I’ll pay attention for you.”
“I have no doubt,” I mutter.
She smacks me again but doesn’t say anything else on the matter.
My attention is drawn to Lorelei walking our way. I stand to meet her, noticing the worry in her eyes. “What’s happened, now?” I ask as I curl my hand around her waist. I’ve never been the kind of man to engage in public displays of affection, but with Lorelei, I can’t help myself. The need to touch her is too strong to resist.
She sighs. “My tenant is consulting with a lawyer about getting out of the lease. She’s had enough of all this graffiti and the break-ins. I don’t blame her, but the last thing I need right now is that shop empty. It’ll be a hard sell leasing it with all the stuff that’s been happening.”
She’s right. I make a mental note to have my guy look into it.
“Do the police have any new leads?”
She shakes her head. “No.” Her gaze shifts to my father for a moment before coming back to me. “I’m really sorry to do this to you, but I’m going to have to leave so I can go and try to sort this out.”
I pull her close and brush my lips over hers. “You go. I’ll call you later.”
Lorelei glances in Dad’s direction again, a strange look on her face, and then she nods. “Okay,” she says softly.
I frown. “What’s wrong?”
With a quick shake of her head, she says, “No, nothing. I’m just worried about you guys, that’s all.”
“We’re good. Don’t worry about us.”
She says goodbye to Alessandra and then leaves. I watch her go until I can’t see her anymore. It’s been a shit of a day, but having her by my side has made it bearable in a way I’ve never known before.
A hand on my arm draws my attention back to the moment, and I find Cassia looking up at me with concern. “Are you okay, Ashton? Your dad and I are worried that you’re not taking this very well.”
“Cassia, the last time my father worried about me was a long time ago, so I find that very hard to believe. And yes, I’m okay. You don’t need to worry about me.”
She moves closer to me. “I’ll always wor—”
Alessandra rolls her eyes and says, “You can cut the bullshit, Cassia. The only thing that ever concerns you is your social standing. Don’t come here today and use our mother’s health as a way to worm your way back into Ashton’s life.”
“Alessandra.” Dad’s sharp voice issues a warning when he joins us. “That’s enough. Don’t talk about things you have no idea about.”
My sister’s eyes widen as she is chastised. She’s only ever chased approval from two men in her life—Malcolm and our father. Malcolm gave it easily. Dad, not so much. I’m guessing that him taking Cassia’s side here is like a slap in the face.
I rake my fingers through my hair as I glare at him. “Jesus, Dad, you can be an asshole when you want to be.”
His eyes turn cold as his gaze settles on me. “I would prefer it if both my children could use their manners while waiting to hear how their mother’s health is. Particularly when we have company.”
Anger churns in my gut at his words. “You—”
Mum’s doctor interrupts our conversation. “Mr Scott, you can see your wife now.”
Dad nods at the doctor. “Thank you.” His gaze slices back to me, and with one last icy glare, he leaves us to follow the doctor.
Alessandra shoots up out of her chair and grabs her bag. “I’ll be back.” She stalks out of the room, leaving me alone with Cassia.
“Your sister always did hate me,” Cassia says.
“Hate is an extreme term.” This is the last conversation I want to be having today. Actually, I don’t want to be having any conversation with her, but it seems I’m stuck.
Her lips flatten in the way they used to whenever we had an argument. “Not where Alessandra is concerned, Ashton, but you were always blind to her when we were together, so I’m sure that hasn’t changed. It’d be nice if, for once, you could open your eyes and see things for what they really are.”
“Don’t push me, Cassia, because you might not like what I see.”
Her brows furrow. “What does that mean?” she demands.
“It means that sometimes I intentionally close my eyes when I don’t want to see what is plainly there to be seen. You have benefitted from that in the past. Let’s not start something we can’t turn back from.”
She stiffens and lifts her chin, a complete look of distaste covering her face. Securing her clutch under her arm, she throws back, “You think your father can be an asshole, but you don’t seem to acknowledge what an asshole you can be. You are far worse than Gregory.”
The sound of her heels tapping on the hospital floor fills my ears a moment later. It might just be the best fucking sound I’ve heard all day. What Cassia is doing with my family is a mystery to me, but I have a feeling I’m going to be seeing a lot more of her while my mother recovers from her heart attack. Thank fuck I have Lorelei to stand by my side while I deal with it all. Her presence alone eases tension from my life in ways I never knew someone could.